Hermetic-sealing apparatus.



W. A. LORENZ Se J'. MERRITI.

HEHMI'TIU SEAN NG APPARATUS.

APPLHATTN TlLHD MA1 IS, 1907A Patented Jan. 19, 191.r

/m/cnam;

` .mi I`\ I W. A. LORENZ 61; J. MERRITT.

HERMETXG SEALlNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION YILED MAY 64.190?.

VV. A.. LORENZ Q J. MRRRITT Hmmm 5mm@ Amm-mums. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1907.

Patented' J an. 19, M15.

5 SIIEETS--SHBB'L 3,

[n2/en fo n? Fig.

W. A. LORENZ L J. MERRITT. HERMETIC s'EALlNG MPARATUS.

APPLICATION V1I.I`,D MAY 6.1907.

1,1251 38, Patented m19, 1915.

5 SHESTSS'IIEET 44 W. A. LORENZ'& J. MERRITT.

HERMETIG SEALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1901.

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WILLIAM A. LORENZ AED JOSEPH MEERITT, or HARTFORD, CONNECT-Icone, AssIGNoE's, -EY nmEOcr ANnMEsNE' ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALE TO BEECH-NUT PACKING com- PANY, OF OANAJOHARIE, NEW YORK, A OORPORATION or NEW YORK, AND ONE- EOUETH 'ro SAID LORENZ .um ONE-rouwen 'roh WILLIAM- ir. HONIss, or HAn'r- FORD, CONNECTICUT. I HEnME'rIo-SEALING APIMSATUS.

specification of Letms retest.

T'all 'who-mit may concern: I

Beit known that we, WILLIAM A. LORENZ and JOSEPH Mnnnwr, citizens of the United States, and residents of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connectiparatus comprising a plurality of sealing chambers arranged in multiplel which may be used in alternation or succession, whereby the air may be exhausted from thejars in one chamber -while a second chamber is 1 being emptied of sealed jars, end refilled the door 24: faced'with the gasket 25 am with another lot of jars to be sealed.

.Figure 1 is a plan View of a duplex-or two-chamber sealing apparatus, showing their common door closed against the right.

hand chamber and the air being exhausted therefrom. Fig. f3-is a front view and Fig. 3 an end view of the apparatus of Fig. 1. Fig/iis a front view, showing the door before the left hand chamber and the air being exhausted from this chamber. The upper part is shown in section .on line l-it of Fig. ,1. Figs. 5, 6, 7 and S are end views in section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, show ing vthe controller'valve in its four positions. F ig. 9 is an end View showing the valve in its fourth position, admitting air to the presser chamber and jar chamber. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end view showing the door in its retracted position to clear the faces of the chambers. Fig. 11 is a side view, 4in lreduced scale of a pumpv for eX- hausting the air from the chambers. l Figs. 12 and 1'3 are front views, in section on the line 1?13 of Fig. 9, showing the switch valve in its two positions. The duplex or multiple 'ar chambers 20 and 21 are inclosedI on all sides except the front, by 'the shell or framework 29. which rests upon the leg or stand 23. The open fronts of the jar chambers are closed alternately for 4the sealing Operations within, b

supported bymeans of the linksl 29 and 30 Patented Jan. 19, i915.

spenta-non med may si, 1901. semi No. 37:2.,064.

in the rolling carriage 38, on which the door swings laterally toward and away from the open face of either jar chamber, being so movedby means of the screw 35 engaging a hub of the carriage 38, and having the lever 36. This lateral movementl of the door is to insure that the gasket clealrs the faces of the chambers while being* moved back and` forth from one chamber to the other. In order thus to carry the door from the face of -one chamber to the face of the other chamber, i-t is supported upon a car riare provided with'rollers 39 and 40 which rol upon4 the track 42 supported by the .bracket 43, and with the roller 60. which4 rolls in a guideway 61 of a bracket 43 and guides-the rearward side of the carriage,

holding that rearward side against up or down movement. Inl order to prevent the carriage 38 from lifting at its forward side, as for example, while drawing the door back from its seat against the chambers, it is provided with rolls `58 and 59 which bear upon the under surface of the track 40 Fig. 3). The carriage, being thus mounted on rollers, is easily pushed by hand from the face of one chamber to the face of the other chamber, being shown in its extreme postions in Figs. 2 and 4. Means are provided for preventing the door from being seated elsewhere than at the extreme ends of its movement, directly before the respective chambers. As herein shown this means consists of a projecting.,r ledge 89 in front of each chamber, the door being cut away at` SS so as teclear the ledge at each of its proper seating positions, as shown in Fig. Q. Aft any other position the door would collide with the ledge, thus obstructing the movement of the door in such a` way as to call the operators attention to it.

In order to stop the movement of the rolling carriages 3S at each end of its stroke and without appreciable shock or jar, stop plugs v63 and 6l of rubber or similar material are A 35' without other is `utilized to direct or transfer thel chamber. Communication is thus made between the main pipe 100 and the two conduits 95 and 96, which serve the right and left hand sealing chambers, respectively. ln the present instance the control of the communication between the mainpipe 100 and these two conduits is by means of the switch valve 56 situated at their junction. As best shown in Figs. al, mand-713, the air communication between these conduits 95 Aand 96 and the respective chambers is further controlled by means of a controlling'valve 91'to be hereinafter described, the function of the switch valve 56 being only to put the port) 97 into communication with the required conduit 95 or 96, subject to the further control of the controlling valve 91. Thus the pneumatic connections of the respective chambers are automatically adjusted in conjunction with the door movements,

requiring attention from the operator, who therefore has vto operette but one /j'alve in the same manner each time, for the different chambers, with4 no possibility of operating upon any but the closed chamber. 40-This avoids the possible waste of time and .of motive power, which would result from operating the pneumatic devices in connection with an open sealing chamber, thr ugh inadvertence or otherwise. j

The switch valve 56 is mounted in a suitable casing, preferably attached to the lower side of the casing 93y of the Evalve 91, and is provided with a tapering plug 55 having a transverse channel or passage 97, the lower end oit' which is widened'so as to be in com- `munication with the main {pipe 100, at all times, while the upper end of the port 97 is by the turning of the plug adapted to register separately with the conduits 95 andi 96 whenjtheir respective sealing chambers are to be put in operation. This valve is turned automatically to the two positions shown in Figs. 12 and 13 by means of the door carriage. The valve plug 55 is provided with 30 a depending lever I53 connecting with a link 50 which extends horizontally behind the door carriage and is supported at its other end in any convenient way, as by means of the swinging arm 5l pivoted in the brackets 52. The connecting link 50 is provided with mamas adjustable collars 47 and 48 and the carriage 88 is provided with an arm or exten- 1 sion il5 which collides with these collars, the latter being set at the proper positions to insure the workingof lthe switch valve 56 at the .right time and to the requiredfextent. When moved toward the right tothe position shown in Fig. 2, the arm l5 collides with the collar 47, thereby moving the valve to the position shown in Fig. 12.` In moving to the left to the position shown in Fig.

i, the arm Ll5 strikes the collar 48 thus moving the valve to the position shown in F ig. 13, infeach case diverting the exhaust communicatidn to the yconduit. for the chamber in front of which the door stands at that time.

The jars J to be sealed are supported in the chambers 20 and 21 in any convenient way, being herein shown as resting upon a base or tray 82, which may be provided with a handle 83 for convenience in withdrawing and replacing the bases in the chambers.

Different bases may be provided suited to the height and size of the jars to be sealed.

Any desired form of sealing mechanism may be employed inthe chambers to assist in the sealing operation. In the present instance is shown aform of sealing apparatus which, after the desired vacuum is obtained, utilizes the returning atmospheric pressure to press the jar caps G firmly and squarely down upon their closure seats before admitting the air pressure to or around the jars themselves, thereby insuring the complete sealing of the jars while still n vacuo.

The'top plate 73 of the shell or framework 22 contains two presser. chambers 7 0 and 7l located above the right and left jar chambers-20 and 21, respectively, each jar chamber being hermetically separated from rits pressure chamber by the lower wall of theA plate 7 3; The presser cylinders 7 equaling in number the jars to be sealed n the rc-' spective chambers, are secured to the under side of .the top plate 73, the upper endvof' each cylinderopening into its presser chambei' as best shown in Fig. Il. Each of these cylinders is provided with a presser v77situated immediately above the jar cap lto be sealed; and these pressersare provided with suitable pistons within the cylinder, operated by the atmospheric pressure, which is admitted to the presser chambers 70 and 71 while the jars in the chamber below are n ,occ/uo. In the present instance two pistons ".:uranged in tandem relation are employed,

the Dresser 77 servinor as one 'iiston secured to the piston rod 7 8, while the upper piston 76 is secured to the upper end ot the rod. The cylinders 7 5 are each divided by a horizontal partition 79 into two chambers one for each of the tandem pistons.

A passage 8l leads 'from the upper chamber to the lower chamber to enable the ai'r pressure tol take effect upon both pistons simultaneously. A spring 80 is also pieterably employed of a tension sufficient to overcome the weight and vfriction of the pistons and hold them in their upper position shown in Fig. 4. The employment of these multiple pistons thus/arrangedin tandem relation enables them to be made ofmoderate sizes so as to arrange the jars in close order,

lo while also enabling a powerful pressure to be applied to the jar caps for the sealing down operation.- vIn the embodiment herein shown the pistons are approximately' the size of the jar'caps themselves and the atmospheric pressure acting 'upon the two Itandem pistons produces'an initial sealing pressure upon the cap approximately twice that which is subsequently exerted by the atmospheric pressure to maintain the cap in place, no mechanical clamps-or springs, or

other devices being employed, iny this class of jar to hold the covers in place.

In order to properly control the flow of air to and from the jar chambers and their respective sealing chambers, four separate branch conduits are provided, one for each chamber, connecting them withV the controli ling valve 91. The two branches 101 and 102 'in the channel bracket 91 connect with tl presser chambers 70 and 71 respectively (Fig. 4) while the jar chambers 20 and 21 are connected With-the valve by means of thetwo branches 110 and 111 respectively.

y The controlling valve 91 is provided with a tapering plug 92, having two independent `sets or systems of ports and passages 108 and 109 controlling the exhaustion from and Ireadmission of air to the two of chaml, bers. The set of these ports and passages which are for use in connection with the right hand chambers 20 and 70 is shown in Figs. .fi-8. This set, operative when the switch valve plug in the position shown in Fig. 2 in the plane of the conduit 95,

branch 101 and pipe 110, while the other and similar set ol ports and passages is in the plane of the branch 102, pipe 111 and conduit 90 and is operative upon the left hand chambers 21 and 71 when the switch valve. plug :'u') is in the position shown in Fig. l, opening the conduit 9G to the exhaust pipe 100.

n In the plane of cach set or section 108 and 109 of ports and passages is an air inlet 5,5 port 99 (Figs. 5-8) through which air is rc- `admitted, irstto the presser chamber (Fig. 7 and then also to the )ar chamber (Fig.

8). The two sets or systems et ports and- In the first position, shown in Fig. 5, the

air is being exhausted only'from the pressure chamber for the purpose of liting any of the prcssers, which may not have been returned tov their upper positions by their springs after the previous operation. Therefore in this position the inlet 70 99 and the branch pipe 110 are closed, while the branch 101 is open to the exhaust passage to a sullicient extent to lift the pressers.

In the second position, shown in Fig. 6, 75 which is the regular exhausting position of the valve, the inlet port 99 is still closed, while :the 'branch 102 and pipe 110 are opened to the exhaust passage 95, thus exhausting the air from -the jar chamber 20 80 and its presser chamber 70.

In the thrd'position, shown in Fig. 7, the conduit 95 andthe branch 1.10 are closed so as to hold the vacuum in the jar chamber 20 and air is being admitted through the inlet 85 99 and the branch .102 to the presser chamber 70.

In the fourth position, shotvn in Fig. 8,

' the conduit 95 is still closed; but air is now admitted'through the branch 110 to the j' 5"90 chamber 20, as Well as tothe presser chamber 70 through the conduit 102.`

The controlling valve plug 92 is moved from one position to another by means of the lever 113 secured to the stem 114 of the 95 plug, and `having a handle 115 on its outer end. A latch 116 is pivoted on the lever 113 -by the bolt 117 and carries on its outer end a handle 118. 'lhe inner end of the latch forms a pawl 120 which rides upon the in- 100 dering plate 121, forming a part of the valve casing 93. The circumferential edge of the plate 121 is provided with four shoulders, 1, 2, 8, 4, indicative of the four positions just described, which shoulders when 105 engaged by the pawl, stop Tthe turning movement of the plug at the respective positions.

A spring 2122 keeps the pawl ,in engagement with the plate except wren drawn back by the handle 11S. In th s way the 110 -valve is easily operated by the lever 113 to turn it from one position to another almost instantly, and with the certainty of arresting the movement when the valve reaches the position desired, and also to visibly in- 115 dicate its position at all times by the numerals on the shoulders corresponding with the respective positions ol' the valve.

The operation of thisv apparatus is asy followsz--The filled jars J, having their 12.2 caps G and gaskets loosely placed in position, are set in place in a jar tray 82, beginning, for example, with the chamber 20, the t-way valve 91, meanwhile being in its first position `(Fig. 5). The door carriage is 1.2.55 then rollediin front of the chamber 20, as shown in Fig. 2, the latter portion ot' its movement serving to turn the switch 'valve plug 55 to the position shown in Figs: 2 and 12, thus placing the main exhaust pipe 100 in' communication with the conduit 95 for the right hand jar and presser chambers. The door 24 is then closed against the face of the' chamber by means of the screw 35 and the controlling valve plug 92 is turned to the second position (Fig. 6) thereby placing the jar chamber 2O and its presser chamber in communication with the exhaust,through the conduits 110 and 101, respectively. While this exhaustion of the righty hand chamber is being continued the jars previously sealed, and a new set of jars placed in position for the succeeding operation.

A suitable vacuum gage should be provided to enable the operator to observe the degree of vacuum obtained. As soon as that degree is reached, the operator turns the controlling valve plug 92 to its third position shown in Fig. 7, .thereby cutting out communication through the conduit 95 "with the exhaust pump, and admitting atmospheric pressure through the inlet 99 and branch 101 to the presser chamber 70, While still closing the branch 110 leading to the jar chamber 20, and thus preserving the vacuum therein. The action of the readmitted air' to the presser chambe` 70 and behind the pistons 7 6 and 77 is almost instantaneous, pressing down the capsfiirmly upon the jars. The controlling valve plug .92 is then turned to its fourth position (F ig. 8) ythus admitting the atmospheric pressure also through the branch to the jar chamber 20, thus holding the jar caps firmly down, While at the same time balancing the pressure in the presser chamber 70 so that the jar pressers 77 are released and are raised bytheir springs to their upper positions, asshown in Figs. 2 and l. The door is then loosened and retracted from the face of the chamber 20 and the door carriage is rolled toD the position shown in Fig. Li, carrying the door in front of the other chamber 21 which has already been loaded With jars ready for the sealing operation. This movement of the door carriage operates through the rod 50 to swing the switch valve plug 55 to the position shown in Figs. 4. and 13, thus shutting oit the exhaust pipe 100 from communication with the conduit 95 and placing it in rcommunication With the conduit 96 leading to the series of ports 109 of the valve plug 92, appui-tenant tothe left hand chambers. The door is then closed and the controlling valve plug 92 is moved as before to its first, second and third positions, as already described, the right hand jar chamber being meanwhile emptied of its sealed jars, and filled with a new lot of jars to be sealed. Thus the operation continues alternately upon tho two chambers.

`Various modifications and transpositions of the mechanism herein shown may be mamies 1.. The combination, in sealing apparatus, v

of a plurality of chambers, a door adapted.v

to hermeticallyseal any of said chambers, a. carriage on which the door is mounted for vtransporta-tion from onesealing position to another and means appurtenant to the carriage for closing the door in each position to seal any of the chambers.

2. The combination, in sealing apparatus, of plurality of chambers, awdoor adapted to hermetically close any of said chambers, a carriage ou which the door is mounted,.ways for guiding the carriage with the door'rom one sealing position to another and 'means appurtenant to the carriage for closing the door. in each position to seal the respective chambers.

The combination, in sealing apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers arranged in multiple, a door adapted to hermetically close any of said chambers, a carriage on which the door is mounted, Ways for guidv ing the carriage when conveying the vdoor from one sealing position to another and mechanism transported by the carriage for closing the door against the respective chambers.

4. The combination, in sealin apparatus, of a plurality of sealing cham ers, a door 'adapted to hermetically close any-oit said chambers, door mechanism for supporting and guiding the door from one sealing posi tion to another, including means. for ciampi ing the door to close any of the chambers.

5; The combination, in sealing apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers, a door adapted to hermetically close any of said chambers, door mechanism for conveying the door from one chamber to another, including means for clamping the door against its the chambers, and means for registering the door in proper position before each chamber, prior to clamping it thereto.

6. The combination, in sealin apparatus, of a plurality of sealing cham ers, pneumatic connections for the respective chambers, a door adapted tol seal any of the said chambers, means for moving the door into sealing relation to the respective chambers, and means controlled by the position of the door for operating the said pneumatic connections.

7. The combination, in sealing apparatus,

its'. i

door adaptedto hermeticul'ly close any of said chambers, 1a carriage upon 'which the door 41s mounted for transportation fre of one chamber to the the other chamber, and means' for closing the'said door against' any chamber.'

9. The combination in eealin apparatus, of a plurality of sealing am ers, a door for hermetically'closing any of said chambers,'mc'ans for c'fnveyin the door from one sealing position'to anoter, air exhausting means? connected with the chambers and means operably connected with the door conveyingmeans to provide air exhausting communication to the sealing chamber to which the door is moved.

. 10. Thecombination, in hermetic sealing. -apparatus,

of a plurality of sealing chambers-,ma door for `sealing any df said chambers, means for guiding the doorl from one sealing position to another, means for'exhausting air from the chambers, and means operably connected, with the door guiding means for automatically disconnecting ccmmunication between the air exhausting means and the chamber from which the door is moved away.

11,. The combination, in exhausting and sealing apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers, a door for hermetically closing any of said chambers, means for guiding the door into sealing relation to any of said chambers, air exhausting means, and means operably connected with the door guiding means for automatically directing communilso cation from the air exhausting means to the chamber to which the door is moved.

12. The combination with hermetic' sealing apparatus, of a plurality. of sealing chambers arranged in multiple, a door for hermetically closing any of said chambers, means ioL guidingy the door while being moved into sealing relation to any chamber, means for exhausting the air from each chamber separately, and means operable by the movements of the door for automatically providing exhaust communication to the chamber to which the door vis moved.

13. The combination, in sealing apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers, air exhausting means provided with conduits for each of said chambers, a valve having a plurality of air ports controlling the confacing approximately in the same direction, a

the front ber, air exhausting means dans for um einem chambers, a door for l sealing `any of said'chambers, means for guiding the door while being moved into.

sealing relation to any chamber, and means opcrabl connected with the door guiding with the conduit for the chamber to which the door is moved.

14. The combination, with lsealingapparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers, a

door for' hermetically sealing any of said chambers, means for guiding the door from one 'sealing position to another, air exhausting means provided with air conduits for the respective chambers, a switch valve controlling the air communication to therespective conduits, and means operably connected with thedoor guiding means for operating the switch valve.

15. The combination, in hermetic sealing apparatus, of a plurality of scaling chambers arranged in multiple, airconduits 'or' the respective chambers, and a valve having multiple sets of ports and passages separately controlling the respective air conduits.

16; The combination, in hermetic scaling apparatus, of a pluralityy oi sealing chambers, air exhausting means having branch air conduits for the respective chambers, a switch valve having an air passage toprovide air communication to any of the said conduits, and a controller valve controlling the flow of the air through and from the said conduits. l,

17. The combination, in sealing apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers, each havingva jar chamber and Va presserchamhaving conduits for the respective scaling chambers, a switch valve provided with an air passage directinv` the' air communication throughl any of said conduits, `branches connecting each of said conduits with the respective `pressure and jarchambers, and a valve controlling air communication frornthe conduits through their respective branches.

18. The combination, in sealing appara-- tus, of aplurality of sealing chambers, each comprising a jar chamber und a presser chamber, air exhausting means having con` duitsior the respectiveA sealing chambers, branches connecting each of said conduits with 'the respective jar'and presser chambers, a switch valve having an air passage to provide air communication to any o'f said conduits, and a controller valve for directingI the communication from the conduits to their respective branches, the said controller valve being also provided with means closing the said'communication and rcadmittingr atmospheric pressure to the presser and jar chambers.

19. The combination, in sealing apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers, each comprising a jar chamber and a presser chamber, air exhausting means having conduits for the respective sealing chambers, a

switch valve having an air passage to direct air communication to any of the said conduits, branches connecting each conduit with the presseil and jar chambers of its associated sealing chamber, and a controlling i0 valve controlling `ccmniunication between each conduit and its branches, the controln ling valve being also provided with means closing the said conduit and readmitting at'- I inospheric pressure separately to the jar and presser chambers.

. 20. The' combination, in hermetic sealing apparatus, vof a plurality ot sealing chambers, air exhausting means` provided with conduits for the respective chambers, a coneovtroller valve controlling the said conduits having a separate series of ports and passages for each chamber, and provided also with means for closing the said conduits to the air exhausting means and readnfiitting zit mospheiic pressure to the sealing chambers,

2l. The combination, in hermetic sealing apparatus.l of aplurality of sealing' charnbers provided' with compartments, air'eX- liausting means providedwith conduits for the 4respective oli'ambers,'branches from the said conduits to diEei-ent compartments of their. respective sealing chambers, and a controller valve having a separate set of ports and passages for ,each conduit controlling communication between each conduit audits branches. l`

22. The combination, in hermetic sealing apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chainbers provided with compartments, air eX hausting means provided with conduits for the respective chambers, branches from the said-conduits to different compartments .of their respective sealing chambers, and a conf troller valve having a separate set vof ports and passages for each conduit, controlling communication between each. conduit and its branches, the valves being also provided with means for shutting oli airexhaust con` nections from the conduits andfieadmitting atmospheric pressure to the respective chambers, mechanism for guiding thedoo'r from one sealing position to anothen'air exhausting means connected with the chainbers, a switch valve controllingY thefsaildconnection to the said chambers, and means eo connecting the door guiding mechanism with the said valve, whereby the movement i of the door mechanism 'to a particular chainber operates to direct the air exhausting communication to that chamber.

es '24. The combination, inv sealing apparaincense tus, of a plurality of sealing chambers, a door for sealing any of said chambers, door mechanism for guiding the door from one sealing position to another, means for eX- liausting air, having separate conduits for the chambers, a switch. valve for the said conduits, and means connecting the said valve with the said door mechanism wheren by the movements of the latter to a p articular chamber provides air exhausting communication to the conduit for that chamber.

apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers, a door forv sealingl any oi said chambers, door mechanism for guiding the door from one sealing position 'to another, air exhausting means having conduits for the respective chambers, a switch valve controlling` the air exhausting communication to 25. The combination, in hermetic sealing y the respective conduits, a connecting rod for p said valve, and adjustable dogs on said'rod disposed in the pathway of the door mechanism, whereby the latter in moving from one chamber to another operates through the" valve to provide the air exhausting come niunication to the conduit for the` latter chamber.

26. The combination, in hermetic sealing apparatus, of multiple sealing chambers, air exhausting means having branch conduits leading to the respective chambers, means for switching the air exhausting connection to either branch, and 'a controlling valve having multiple sets of ports and passages controlling the respective branch conduits.

27; Hermetic sealing apparatus, including in combination a plurality of` sealing chambers, 'provided with air exhaust connections, means for opening and closing the saidv chambers, and means operable with the chamber closing means for opening air eX- haust connection` to a closed chamber and closing it from an open chaniber. 28; Hermetic sealing apparatus, .including in combination a plurality .o sealing chambers vprovided withl air exhaust connections, a door for closing any of 'thersaid chambers separately, and means .operable the door for opening the air exhaust connection of the chamberclosed by the door, andclosing; .the air exhaust connection .ofxtheropen chamber. o A

29. Hermetic sealing apparatus, including in combinationtwosealing chambers, door mechanismI for A,separately and alternately closing the two' chambers, and means operable by` the movementof the door inechaf, nism'yfrcmjone chamber tof lthe other, for closing the air 'exliaiist-connection of the; chamber from which Athe ldoor mechanismis moving away, and opening the air exhaust connections oi the chamber to which the door is moving.

30. Thefcombination, iii hermetic vsealing apparatus, of a plurality of sealing chambers arranged in multiple, air exhausting' means having branch conduits leading to the respective chambers, and a controlling valve having multiple sets of ports and passages lo 3,1. Multiple sealing apparatus, comprising sealing chambers, a plurality of branch conduits for each sealing chamber, and a controlling valve having. a set of ports and passages separately controlling the branch conduits of the res ective sealing chambers. 15

WI LIAM A. LORENZ. JOSEPH MERRITT.

Witnesses:

Amon lPA'l'rIsoN Mxnmi'rr, CAROLINE M. BREOKLF.. 

